Hear Tom Waits’ Pogues Cover From New Shane MacGowan Tribute Album

It's hard to believe its only been three years since the world lost Irish songwriting legend Shane MacGowan. Today, the Pogues frontman's legacy is celebrated through a 36-song tribute compilation, titled 20th Century Paddy - Songs Of Shane MacGowan. We already got to hear the contributions from U2, who shared their version of the Pogues' "Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah," and Bruce Springsteen, who took on "A Rainy Night In Soho." Now, we get to hear offerings from a wide-range of stars, including Primal Scream, the Jesus And Mary Chain, the late Glen Hansard, the Libertines, the Murder Capital, and Madra Salach.The comp also features a new recording from Tom Waits, who delivered a tender version of "Summer In Siam" from the Pogues' 1990 album Hell's Ditch. It's a sobering recording. Waits' voice is wooly and tangled, but manages to carry a softness. It sounds like it was recorded outside or in a small shack with plenty of windows open: crickets chirp in the distance and the white noise from a still room hovers. It's good to see Waits resurface every now and then for a creative venture, but 2026 really seems to be his year. He's landed roles in Travis Knight's animated adaptation of Colin Meloy's Wildwood, Brad Bird's Ray Gunn, and Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine. He also collaborated with Massive Attack for the protest song "Boots On The Ground."Listen to "Summer In Siam" and the full compilation below. 20th Century Paddy - Songs Of Shane MacGowan is out now on Rubyworks.